


Didn't Have Time to Tense

by softestlad



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Body Image, Body Worship, Communication, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Insecure Robert Sugden, Light Angst, M/M, Self Confidence Issues, aaron likes robert's hands, because he's a human being with eyes, yknow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-01-14 22:28:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18485710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softestlad/pseuds/softestlad
Summary: “Robert?” he called after him, following baffled in his wake. “Robert, I was joking, I know you d – ““You think Ellis is fit?” Robert looked hurt, and Aaron blinked. Nothing about this evening was going the way he expected. Maybe he should have just kept watching Without a Trace.-Robert's confidence has taken a bit of a knock. Set after last night's episode 15/4/19





	1. Chapter One

Aaron turned off the telly and chucked the remote somewhere into the couch cushions, uncrossing his legs from where his feet were resting on the coffee table. He had heard the water from the shower go off ages ago, but Robert had forgotten to call him for his turn. With a huff, Aaron pushed himself up from the comfy embrace of their couch and jogged up the stairs.

Entering their bedroom, Aaron expected to see his husband reclined on the bed, maybe scrolling on his phone or caught up in the book he was reading. Aaron paused in the doorframe. Robert was nowhere to be seen, his book left untouched on the bedside table in a pool of light cast from their lamps. Aaron smiled a bit at how Robert always made the extra trip around to Aaron’s side of the bed to turn on his lamp as well, switching off the overhead light so that the dark evenings and nights were only interrupted by the warm, gentle glow at their bedsides. Robert always said it was to help them “wind down” for sleep, but Aaron knew he liked the planar shadows it created across their skin, tender and sexy – not that Aaron would admit he liked it too.

Tilting his head, Aaron heard the fan still running in the bathroom, and on closer inspection the door was lined in light. Aaron frowned, quickly crossing to the door, only offering a cursory knock before busting in, worried about what he’d find if Robert was taking so long. What if he’d slipped and banged his head while Aaron was spread out on the couch downstairs watching reruns of Without a Trace?

Robert jumped when Aaron burst in, a natural reaction to a dramatic SWAT entrance when dressed only in a towel. He quickly dropped his hands from where they were resting on his waist, tried to cover by raising his eyebrows at Aaron.

“What are you hangin’ about in here for?” Aaron asked, not fooled, but softened by relief that his husband hadn’t managed to brain himself. “The shower went off ages back.”

“Sorry,” Robert said, gathering up his clothes from the floor and throwing them in the washing basket, eyes studiously avoiding Aaron in a way that had Aaron instinctively stepping closer.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, laying a palm flat on the warm, damp skin of Robert’s shoulderblade. “Is it about Liv? Or Natalie? Because they’re on my mind too, you don’t have to secret away in here.”

Robert turned to face him, looking – guilty? That was a weird reaction.

“Rob?” Robert sighed, rubbing at his eyebrow before seemingly giving up holding back. Aaron took a moment to appreciate that before listening carefully when Robert opened his mouth – distracting as it was for him to be standing there in just his towel, hair starting to dry flat and soft on his head. Aaron loved the feel of Robert just after a shower, the rasp of clean skin, the bone-melting process of dirtying him up again.

“It’s not Liv. Or Natalie,” Robert said, “Though it should be, considering.”

Aaron stepped closer again, taking Robert by the elbows – the only safe place to touch really when Aaron was supposed to be listening intently, communicating.

“It’s Ellis,” Robert said. Aaron raised his eyebrows, then laughed.

“That’s what every husband wants to hear, straight out of the shower and thinking of the young, fit employee,” Aaron joked, a flickering pride in his chest that he genuinely wasn’t worried, that spark of jealousy and fear he always used to carry long since having died down, banked by Robert’s steadfast love for him, and the cultivated care he now had for himself. Robert’s face dropped, and Aaron didn’t even have time for the confusion to settle before Robert was pushing past him, back to their bedroom.

“Robert?” he called after him, following baffled in his wake. “Robert, I was joking, I know you d – “

“You think Ellis is fit?” Robert looked hurt, and Aaron blinked. Nothing about this evening was going the way he expected. Maybe he should have just kept watching Without a Trace.

“Ellis _is_ fit,” Aaron said, “he’s also a decreasingly committed scrapper and makes tea weaker than dishwater.” Aaron approached Robert, and was knocked for six when Robert took a step back, nearly backing into the foot of their bed. “Robert? What’s this about?”

“What he said today, at the yard,” Robert admitted. “About…” he gestured down his chest and stomach, and it took Aaron a full five seconds to figure out what he was getting at.

_Give me a couple of months and I guarantee I could totally transform that body shape._

Aaron puffed out his cheeks, scoffing. “Give over.”

“You what?” Robert’s face went from embarrassed to mardy in a second flat.

“You want me to believe Mr _there’s nothing wrong with my body shape_ is worried he’s not fit anymore?” Aaron’s laugh petered out as Robert’s expression grew more and more stormy.

“What, am I not allowed? When he felt totally comfortable talking about my body like it needed fixing – “

“He’s only trying to drum up some business for himself – “

“When my _husband_ thinks he’s, what was it, young and fit? And you’re always quick to point out that I’m older than you, and getting a compliment out of you is about as easy as getting twenty quid off Charity – “

“Robert!” Aaron closed the gap between them, leaning up on his toes to press a silencing kiss to Robert’s lips, holding onto his biceps to keep him close. He felt the tension in Robert’s face dissolve as he accepted Aaron’s tongue into his mouth, caressing and apologetic in the way Aaron could never do in words. When they parted Aaron kept his forehead against Roberts, a montage of missed moments where he could have assured Robert playing through his mind. Even just the other night, when Robert – in front of Liv no less – carelessly complimented Aaron’s eyes, the soft smile when Aaron craned his neck back putting a glow in Aaron’s chest, even upside down. “I’m sorry,” Aaron said, sincerely, “I didn’t know it’d gotten to you.”

Robert sighed, and Aaron felt it across his lips. “I didn’t think it had,” he said. “Then I saw the mirror when I got out of the shower, and I just. I don’t know. Maybe I should book a session with him, see how it goes.”

“No,” Aaron said, yanking his head back. “Look, if it’s about being healthy and whatever then go ahead, but if it’s just about how you look,” Aaron ran his hands up and down Robert’s arms, thumbs pressing into the indents between muscles on each pass. “Don’t bother.”

“Yeah?” Robert said, still a pinch of doubt around his eyes.

“Course,” Aaron said, dropping his gaze to Robert’s mouth and back to his eyes again. This kind of verbal affection didn’t come easy to Aaron, but loving Robert did. So he could do his best. “You don’t need to change anything.”

Aaron felt Robert’s hands rest on his hips, long fingers sure and firm. It was like a few words from Aaron were enough to put the bloom of confidence back into Robert’s chest, and Aaron was high on that feeling. He knew better than anyone that these kind of things needed to come from the inside, that other people could only take you so far. But Aaron wanted to take Robert as far as possible.

“You’re my beautiful husband,” Aaron said, cupping Robert’s face gently, smiling at the widening of his lovely green eyes. “Who I love,” Aaron added, unnecessarily, playfully, and watched the words settle into Robert like the sun into the horizon line.

“Thank you,” Robert said, quietly, and Aaron’s own smile softened.

“Don’t be daft,” he replied, “I mean it. I’m sorry I don’t tell you more often.” Aaron’s eye snagged on a stray bead of water that rolled down Robert’s neck to nestle in the dip of his collar bone, and Aaron smirked, struck by an idea. “Let me make it up to you.”

Robert tilted his head, then smiled as he picked up on what Aaron was saying.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Aaron said. With one hand, he took hold of Robert’s towel, and with the other shoved him in the chest, making him fall back, naked, onto the bed. Robert laughed, free and easy in the way that lit Aaron up, but faltered when he saw Aaron staring down at him, hungry and adoring at once. Aaron threw Robert’s towel somewhere behind him, and climbed on the bed, ready to show his husband just how much he loved his body.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I knew what I wanted for this, but it took ages to write for some reason, even with all the lovely, encouraging comments on the first chapter. I hope every one who asked for a continuation likes it <3

Aaron was out of his clothes in record time, pushing Robert further up the bed to straddle him. They kissed for a while, getting increasingly hot and heavy, the bedside lamps warming the shadows of the room, everything melting away as all Aaron could feel was Robert, his skin a country Aaron wasn’t anywhere near done exploring.

“I love you,” Aaron said, pulling away for a second. “So much.”

“Soft,” Robert said, smiling. Aaron raised an eyebrow, ground down on Robert’s lap.

“Eh, check again?” Aaron winked when Robert laughed, “Nobody gets me hard like you.”

“I should hope not, husband!” Robert feigned offense, but the light in his eyes was unmistakable. Aaron loved every kind of sex they had; lazy, desperate, passionate, fast, slow whatever. It was all good, all the best. But these moments where sex was _fun_ was something he only ever really had with Robert. Between coming to terms with himself and his clusterfuck childhood, Aaron never really got those moments. With Jackson all that stuff was still too raw, and Ed was more simple than fun. One night stands had been good for blowing off steam, but again, _fun_ never really came into play. Even back during their affair, where they broke up every three days and broke each other’s hearts from beat to beat, it was there. Fun. Freedom.

There was no one Aaron had ever trusted with his own body more than Robert. And there was no one whose body he knew better. He looked down at his husband, gorgeous spread out on the sheets – _their_ sheets – below him. He tugged at Robert and he followed, letting Aaron reposition them so that Robert was sitting in the middle of the bed, Aaron still astride his lap, both of them entirely entwined, arms and legs, breaths and grins.

They kissed, slow and wet in the way that had Aaron rolling his hips in a languid rhythm, his body reacting without his input. Aaron went with it, the natural, primal movements that just having Robert under him, totally his, drew out of him.

Aaron bit down on Robert’s bottom lip, tugging it in time with a particularly sinuous wave of movement. Robert moaned from deep in his throat, hips bucking up. The hair on Aaron’s arms and legs raised, like the sparks between them weren’t just in their heads, but in the air. Their bodies together making ozone, breathing lightning between each kiss.

Aaron released Robert’s lip and drew away, watching as Robert – eyes still closed, chased his lips with his own. He blinked his eyes open dozily, and Aaron smiled, drumming a light pattern on Robert’s freckled shoulders with his fingers, before running them down to catch Robert’s hands. He raised them up between them, and brushed his thumb along Robert’s wedding ring.

“I love your hands,” Aaron said, pushing away the wave of discomfort or shyness he felt. Here, in their bedroom, he could do anything, say anything. Especially if it was true. “Always have,” Aaron continued, pressing his thumbs into Robert’s palms, his wrists and fingers, massaging away the tension from all the computer work. Robert made a quiet _mmph_ sound as Aaron carried on. “They’re so big – don’t – “ Aaron cut off Robert’s joke, the only warning an intake of breath. Robert smirked, but his eyes were soft. Aaron cleared his throat, kept going, kept rocking his hips in minute movements, keeping the thrumming tension alive.

“I love watching you type,” Aaron admitted, “You do it so fast, but really lightly? Like you barely touch ‘em, and if I weren’t watching you it’d sound like drizzle outside.” Aaron lifted Robert’s hands, gently curled, and ran his lips along the line of Robert’s index finger from the curve that attached it to his thumb, all the way to the end. “Love watching you cook,” Aaron repeated the brush of lips on Robert’s other hand. “Choppin’ things. You always look so fuckin’ relaxed when you cook, I dunno how you manage it. And – “ Aaron faltered, Robert’s gaze on him heavy and mystified. He thought back to that flicker of doubt Robert had earlier, genuine doubt that Aaron could be anything less than enraptured with his husband’s body. He kept going. “- And when you roll your shirt sleeves up…”

“Yeah?” Robert breathed. Aaron nodded, heat pulsing slow in his belly, distracting from the heat on his face.

“Dead fit.”

“Even when it’s the floral shirt?” Robert teased. Aaron rolled his eyes.

“Not lookin’ at your bleedin’ shirt when you’re doing that am I?” Aaron said, meaningfully, then dipped his chin down to press the pads of Robert’s fingers against his lips. “Especially when it’s sommat sweet you’re makin’. Can’t help yourself – “ Aaron caught Robert’s eyes and held them as he took two of Robert’s fingers into his mouth, just to the first knuckle. Robert’s lips parted, and Aaron sank down on the digits again, to the second knuckle, then drew off just as quick with a quick swirl at the tops. “Lickin’ them clean.”

Robert was speechless, but didn’t give Aaron a chance to get self-conscious, replacing his fingers with his lips, kissing Aaron senseless. But Aaron wasn’t done yet, he was hitting his stride, drunk on ideas for all the ways he could praise Robert’s body.

Aaron pulled away, and guided Robert’s hands to his thighs, making him spread his fingers wide across the meatiest part of Aaron’s leg. Reflexively, Robert squeezed and then stroked them up and down, running with and against the grain of the dusting of hair Aaron had there. Aaron looked down and felt Robert do the same, their faces close together as they watched Robert’s hands move on Aaron’s thighs, the sight sending a slight tremble through Aaron’s muscles and making him groan.

“I love your hands,” Aaron said again, emphasising with an enthusiastic grind of his hips. “You’re always goin’ on about how you can’t keep ‘em off me, but let’s be honest. I never want you to. Love ‘em best when they’re on me,” he guided Robert’s hands and Robert let him, easily, to his hips, Robert’s thumbs slotting in like they were meant to be there, then further, around his waist to glide onto Aaron’s arse. He leaned forward, arching his back slightly to push back into Robert’s palms, and brushed Robert’s ear with his mouth. “Or in me,” Aaron said.

“Aaron,” Robert said on a gasp, ragged. He squeezed Aaron’s arse. “I love your – “

“Not tonight,” Aaron said, “We’re talkin’ about you tonight. Just you. All of you and how,” Aaron lowered his face to the crook of Robert’s neck, kissing him along the tendon, “Lucky,” he said, moving across Robert’s Adam’s apple. “I am,” he rested his teeth on Robert’s collar bone. “To be married to someone as gorgeous as you.” Aaron pushed gently on Robert’s chest until he laid down, and Aaron followed, bracketing Robert’s face with his hands.

“Aaron,” Robert said, all smugness evaporated. If anything, he sounded overwhelmed.

“I’m sorry I don’t tell you every day, y’know I’m not brilliant with words n’that,” Aaron said. “But you are. Gorgeous. And beautiful, and lovely, and sexy, and handsome. And mine.”

Robert just nodded, fervently, and Aaron decided enough was enough. With a final, rapidly heating kiss, Aaron started making his way around Robert’s body, worshipping as he went.

“I love your chest,” he said, deliberately making sure to include Robert’s shooting scar in that. “And your hair. I like it when it’s a little longer – and no, that’s not an invitation to get your mullet back. Vic showed me the pictures and that’s grounds for divorce that.” They both laughed, and Aaron ran his hands through Robert’s hair, mostly dry now after his shower, soft and fine gold. And so it continued, the words and the kisses, the heating up of air between them.

_Your mouth drives me daft. It’s so perfect, I could kiss you forever and never get bored._

_This spot, here, between your ear and your jaw? Just a little pressure and – mm. There it is. Like hotwiring a car._

_The only thing I’d change about this stomach is the fact that it’s not covered in my come._

And then, with Robert panting and writhing underneath him, and Aaron not faring too much better himself, he slid down the bed.

“Reckon we both know how much I love this,” Aaron breathed over Robert’s cock, almost moaned as it blurted precome. Robert propped himself up on his elbows shakily, sporting a few new bruises on his neck and dark black discs where the green of his eyes used to be. He tried a cocky smile, but it didn’t really come off when Aaron could feel his thighs shaking with desire.

“I could do with reminding,” he said. Aaron smirked.

“That’s how it is, is it?” Robert nodded, a silent plea. “Alright. I’ll suck you, if you promise one thing, yeah?”

“Anything,” Robert said, “God Aaron, please – “

“Promise me that the next time you catch yourself in the mirror and don’t like sommat about what you see,” Aaron licked a hot, wet, stripe along Robert’s cock. “You’ll think about this. All the things I said. And my mouth on you, just how you like it.”

“Think I can handle that,” Robert said. Aaron scoffed, ran a finger along Robert’s pale inner thigh. Made sure Robert was looking into his eyes as he took him into his mouth, deep.

 _We’ll see_ , he said with his eyes, lowering, lowering down, Robert’s moans like music. He rumbled a chuckle from his chest, could feel just how much Robert liked the vibration on his cock. Aaron was going to enjoy this. _Time to have some fun._

 


End file.
